


Duckling and Bear

by HeckJustBirds



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Origin Story, F/M, Fluff, different story line, not like the show
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-27
Updated: 2018-10-17
Packaged: 2019-04-13 14:26:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14114295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeckJustBirds/pseuds/HeckJustBirds
Summary: Just a little fan fiction for myself, and the love of my life Jason Momoa (playing as Khal drogo)purely for myself (aka trash)there is a story line somewhat, but it's going to just be fluff.there is a bit of a set up to the story so bare (bear) with me :PI will be updating when i can but if you really like the story and want me to update it, leave a comment c: I'd love to hear it!





	1. Chapter 1 - lost but found

Struggling to keep her head above water, Karla had never imagined this outcome when she bit the hand of her captor. Tied down with her arms and feet bound, there wasn’t much else she could do than scream or cry, there was a lot of the latter. Karla didn’t have much of a family to worry about, no one at home. Not even a home anyway. She had been working in the fields when a man had come up behind her and knocked her out cold. The sun was starting to set and she was barely floating anymore. She should die slowly, they had said. To struggle and drown as her punishment. Apparently she’d bite the hand of some low life prince. Not that she would have cared at the time anyway. They had stayed to watch for a while, poking her with sticks and pushing her under. They got bored quickly, Karla did not. Her throat was so sore from screaming, begging for help. It had felt like no one was alive, and soon not even her. The tears started again, she could honestly do nothing else. She’d tried everything, everything and more but her bounds were too tight and she too tired. 

It was much later in the night that the water level rose higher. The moon her only companion as she held her chin as high as could, she had begun to think a long time ago why she was still here. Still breathing, still caring, still here. It hurt to hold herself up, it hurt to scream, it hurt so much and she just only wanted her bed. She craved sleep more than anything but did not trust herself to close her eyes for even a second, for fear that she would give in to the darkness that called her name so gently. As her eyelids grew heavier and heavier she heard the unmistakable sound of horses. Strange she thought, barely thinking her mind swimming. It took her a moment before she realised what horses meant, people. Her brain clicked and she began to scream, with what little voice she still had left she gave it all she had. “Please Help me! Please!” she begged. Suddenly the horses stopped and Karla begged that it was not because they had left, left her die all alone. The water was rising again, ever so slightly but enough that the water began to seep into her mouth. But then she could feel her legs, something was clawing at them and she had a sudden feeling of dread. That instead of people she had called beasts. She legs were free and something lifted her head higher, up above the water. But her body was so sore and the things so sharp that she began to thrash, kicking away the sharp things but they came back in full force. She could barely see but all at once she was out of the water, her arms freed and her dress thoroughly soaked. Something wrapped around her and pulled her close, suddenly she was moving. People, definitely people, they were shouting in a foreign tongue but right now Karla would take anyone. It took a moment for her to realise just how cold she felt, it had been ages since her body went numb and she had stopped feeling it entirely but now with a warm fur around her, she could feel herself shivering. The person holding her seemed to notice too, wrapping her tighter and finding an extra fur for her. She was lifted up high unto what she could make out to be a horse, she’d always been somewhat wary of the beasts, towering over her. But right now a horse was fine, anything but the water. But it was in the pale moonlight that Karla’s eyesight slowly came back to her, and right in front of her was a party of Dothraki riders. 

Karla was ready to just fall off the horse but the person holding onto her had a very tight grip. Suddenly the water seemed very appealing. Drowning was definitely better than what they would do to her. A hundred things ran through her mind and none of them ended well in the slightest. Now that she could somewhat see, she spotted a good 10 riders total. What were they doing here, what were they doing? Karla knew little about the Dothraki, but of course she knew the stories, the wild horse lords with their khals. She knew exactly the sorts of things they did, taking and taking whatever they wished and leaving very few left alive to tell it. She began to struggle again, not caring how fast they were going. But the man only tighten his grip and growled at her. Instantly she stopped, his growl had sent shivers down her spine. She defy looked around her, the men were looking at her, watching her with eagle eyes. She strunk back in fear but the man tightened his grip again, pressing her back into his chest. She’d spent the whole day begging for anyone, anyone at all to come save her but maybe she hadn’t thought this one through. She had a long ride ahead of her and again, she was trapped but at least this time she was warm.


	2. Chapter 2 - A stranger

The rest of the evening had been a burr of lights. She must have at some point passed out, because the last thing she remembered was seeing the soft glow of fire light. The fear of the day before and the long, exhausting wait of the raising lake had taken its toll. Her bones ached, her stomach growled and her head was burning with a furious fever. She lay under soft furs for a while, running her fingers through the hairs gently as she woke. Slowly her mind came back to her in small pieces. Someone had dried and dressed her she knew, but she felt as if she’d even been bathed. After some time she poked her head out from under the fur, rabbit she had decided. The room, or rather the tent was cool. Candle light, lit enough that she could see, but also enough that she could tell it was early morning. Natural light shown through an opening in the tent, letting in the soft morning sun. She knew in these grassy, desert like lands the sun could be harsh and unforgiving. But the sun was still gentle and young, warming her nicely. Her body felt a little numb, she was also chilly but it was her bones that hurt the most, oddly. She could feel their ache, deep in her bones. It felt strange to ache like this, almost wrong and unnatural. She twisted over to her side, but she moved so slowly she thought it would be painful to watch. Her throat was dry and as she coughed in the dead silent tent, she felt as if her throat had been replaced with sandpaper. Suddenly, something moved. Karla, very alarmed, attempted to sit up. However, something heavy pushed her back down, blocking any attempt of hers to rise. Her eyes grew wide as she saw just exactly what had moved. It wasn’t a something but rather a someone. A massive bear like man sat on his knees beside her. He towered over her and if she hadn’t known better she would have thought his head touched the roof of the tent, he was so tall. Her flight or fight response had skipped a heartbeat but she felt it now in full force. She pushed upwards and was a quarter of the way out of her blankets before, again that heaviness pushed her right back onto her back. This time he left his arm over her, blocking any future attempts. She was a turtle flipped on its back. Even as she pushed against him with all her strength she had gained in her moment of fear, he held her down effortlessly. He barely even blinked an eye at her struggling. Karla knew she was beat and she was really honestly too tired to do much else than wriggle. She watched him with wide eyes, checking his every move. His face was unreadable, like a stone wall. Cold, black eyes like obsidian, and hair like burnt charcoal. His hair fell over his shoulder, tied in a long ponytail secured in place with leather. He moved so quietly as he replaced the warm cloth on her forehead with a new cooler one. She stopped her struggling as she began to realise he was only trying to help her. He was gigantic. Quickly she began to notice it more and more when she looked at his hands, comparing them to the size of her head. He brought a wooden cup to her lips and for a moment she worried it would be something strange, but instead it was just water, but to her parched throat it could have been liquid gold. 

She watched the man for some time, keeping a close eye on him. Laying under the warm furs she slipped in and out of sleep, waking each time with a new cloth atop her forehead. Sometimes he was there, other times he was gone, but she always knew he was close by. She remembered him asking her something, but his voice was gruff and he made no sense. He repeated his question once or twice, but Karla knew too late that what he spoke was not the common english. 

“I can’t understand.” 

She told him shaking her head, her voice soft and weak compared to his. He looked at her for a moment, his face still that solid stone wall but she could tell he was thinking. After a while he nodded, got up and left the tent. She watched him leave suddenly, wondering just what he had confirmed in his mind. Her mind began to race with possibilities. Did he think her some kind of spy? Or worse, would he send her back to those awful men who had tied her down in the lake? Her head quickly began to ache and she knew she shouldn’t jump to conclusions like this, the man had in no way threatened her. She tried to calm herself, her heart jumping out of her chest, she ached to crawl out of her furs and hide. All too quickly the man returned, Karla panicked and threw the blankets over her head, curling up. Someone giggled, tugging on her blanket.

“Are you alright?” 

A lady asked. Slowly Karla uncurled herself, peaking up to see the lady. She spoke english. “I'm.. im okay.” Her voice, too soft. She felt like she hadn’t spoken in weeks. The lady sat down beside her, speaking quickly to the man in his language. He stood in the doorway listening to her, soon they finished and he left. The lady smiled at her, pulling the sheets back and helped her sit up. 

“My name is Selle, I heard they fished you out of a river.” 

Selle worked quickly as she spoke, helping Karla into a new dress. 

“I work as a translator, you were saved by our blood riders.” 

Selle sat behind her and loosened her hair tie, brushing gently. 

“They said they heard your cries in the moonlight.”  
Selle paused, running her fingers through Karla’s hair. 

“Your hair is like the sun” She sighed,  
“The Khal said you were the sun that had not set, trapped in your river.” 

Karla felt her cheeks burn,  
“The Khal?” she asked sheepishly. 

“The Khal is our leader, almost like a lord.”  
Again she paused, giving her hair a tug. 

“The man who sat with you, our Khal is kind to care for you.” Karla’s scalp burned, Selle had pulled a bit too hard. 

“A stranger.” She finished.


	3. Chapter 3 - The Khal

After Selle had helped her dress and tidy up, she left Karla to eat. She sighed deeply with relief, finally she had left. A stranger, she had called her. It bothered and confused her. Karla was a stranger to these people, but Selle had said it in such a way… that made her worry again just what a stranger might mean to these people. Selle had even said that it had been The Khal himself who had sat beside her, replacing the cloth on her forehead and watched over her rest. Some sort of lord, she had called him, the leader of this tribe. She rolled onto her back, leaving her bowl of food barely touched. Strange tasting meats and all of it too spicy. She was starving but she truly could not bring herself to eat anymore, not even a bite. She closed her eyes, listening to the sounds that drifted around the tent. She could hear horses and cattle. The calls of children and the louder voices of adults, none of it she could understand. She lay like that for a while, trying to identify the different noises she heard. She felt better than she had this morning, her fever had cleared and her bones had ceased their cries of pain. She remembered Selle had told her, that she had slept for two days, they had been unable to wake her and would have thought her dead if it had not been for the rise and fall of her chest. As she remembered this, she could hear someone outside of the tent. She had barely opened her eyes and she could already tell Selle stood over her. Slowly she raised into a sitting position and there appearing at Selle’s side was the Khal. The Khal spoke to her and Selle translated. 

“The Khal asks, if you are too tired to speak with him.” 

Selle sat down in front of her, clearly she would not accept no for an answer.  
“I will speak with him.” 

Karla said, glancing up to the man in question. Selle merely nodded to the Khal and he sat down beside them both. Awake and clear headed, the Khal still resembled a bear. Sitting beside him she felt tiny, he was a good head and some taller than her. The mass of his shoulders alone made him a mini mountain. The Khal looked around the tent, he looked like an eagle hunting its prey. His eyes stopped on her bowl and Karla tensed. He spoke and Selle translated for her. 

“The Khal asks why you do not eat the food he brings for you.” 

Karla looked away from the Khal, whose eagle eyes had now turned to her. She couldn’t just say that it tasted awful and that she had barely managed the few bites it had taken to get rid of Selle in the first place. Instead, she said still looking away, 

“It is strange food, i do not know it.”

Selle paused before she translated for the Khal. Karla looked up at him briefly, worried what she might find waiting for her. However, the Khal was not angry, but nor was he happy. He let out a low rumbling growl.

“The Khal asks what you might eat instead.” Selle translated.

Karla was now certain the Khal was a bear but she was hesitant to answer. She wasn’t sure what she was allowed to ask for, or if they would even have the foods she knew. Living how she had, she had never had much choice in what foods she ate, but she had never in her life experienced the hot spices that burned her mouth like these of the Dothraki. The Khal must have understood her hesitant answer, or maybe he had simply grown bored waiting for her, because again he spoke. 

“The Khal says that you will join him tonight, and eat with him. He says you will have your choice of anything from his table.”  
Selle translated, looking anywhere but at Karla. 

Karla’s eyes grew wide and she turned back to look at the Khal, she wasn’t sure how to respond. She could tell from Selle’s face that this was no simple offer, one she was sure that even if she had wanted to, she could not decline. She quickly nodded, as to not offend the Khal with her hesitance. 

“Thank you.” 

She said sheepishly, unsure of what else to say. Selle tilted her head to the side, thinking for a moment. 

“The Dorthakrai do not have a word for thank you.”

She said simply, turning to the Khal. The Khal sat with his hands on his knees, glancing between them both. She could tell he did not enjoy being left out, but she didn’t know how else to say thank you. The Khal spoke to Selle, looking bothered by their silence, he must have misunderstood her nodding. Selle quickly answered the Khal, who turned to smile at Karla. He was very pleased, and again Karla could feel her cheeks heat. 

“Attending would be enough.” 

Selle finally told her. The Khal spoke again, his full attention to Karla. She wanted desperately to cover her face and hide under her blankets. 

“The Khal wishes for you to accompany him on a walk.” 

Selle said grinning at Karla, delighting in her oblivious struggle. A walk? Karla’s eyes lit up, first dinner, now a walk with the Khal? He was full of surprises, but she just couldn’t understand why. Karla agreed almost instantly, a walk sounded wonderful. She’d been cooped up in this tent for too long, the breeze in here was nice but she knew it was nothing compared to outside but, she was also dying to see all the dogs she had heard before, she only hoped they were friendly.


	4. Chapter 4 - The Suns Own

Karla, was at first a little wobbly on her legs, standing up had been quite the challenge but, Selle had helped her to her feet. The Khal watched her in silence, standing aside as Karla walked to him. Selle smiled and waved as she left the tent, she’d been dismissed. Karla watched her go, glancing up to the Khal. She had to tilt her head back a little to see him fully. Now standing upright, she still could not believe the size of the man, she barely reached the top of his chest. Again she confirmed in her mind, that the Khal was no man, but bear. They stood in silence for a moment, looking at each other. Karla remembered briefly that Selle had left, leaving them now without communication. Gently the Khal lifted his hand, watching her face the whole time. Karla watched his hand raise and stop before her, what was he doing? He turned his palm up to her, watching her intensely. But, Karla wasn’t sure what he was asking, so she started at him blankly. There wasn’t anything in his hand, nothing she could look at, but what did he want? The Khal shook his hand gently, trying to draw her attention again. Karla, however could not read minds and apparently neither body language. The Khal sighed and slowly went to take her hand, he moved carefully and made sure she was watching him - as if not to scare her - as he took her tiny hand into his. He lifted it up, into his palm, showing her this was what he wanted. To hold her hand. Karla felt her cheeks redden, how had she missed that? Of course he had wanted her hand. Her cheeks were burning now. He was smiling at her. A big bear like grin, but it was warm and kind. She could barely look at him. He chuckled softly shaking his head, he led her gently towards the opening in the tent, holding it aside for her. The Khal was humongous, he looked like a bear. But, Karla didn’t feel unsafe beside him as she had first thought she would. She had heard stories of the Dothraki people, and what they did to foreigners. But the Khal had been nothing but kind to her, and so gentle too. He led her into the sand, small patches of dry grass littered the ground. She could hear the people better now, not that she could understand what they said. She saw the dogs she had heard, but they were far away and she doubted the Khal would let her lead the way. She walked beside him but quickly struggled to keep up with him. His giant's legs moved what felt like three times the speed of herself. But thankfully he noticed and set a much slower pace, one Karla could keep with. All too soon she could feel people staring at her, watching her as she walked by. A glance over her shoulder proved her right. A group of children were staring right at her, having halted their game. The adults were hardly better, glancing at her but trying hard not to stare. The Khal noticed her slowing down again and looked down to her, realising quickly what had happened. He stopped their walk for a moment and waved the children over. Karla could only stand and worry, she had no idea why they were staring and all she wanted was to hide behind the Khal. The children ran over, jumping and grinning, they all spoke loudly. The Khal spoke suddenly, hushing the children. He went down on his knee and spoke to them, answering their questions. Karla, for the first time could see the top of the Khal’s head. Selle, thankfully had seen the communication and walked over to the pair. Selle laughed, grinning ear to ear. 

“It seems you have attracted quite the crowd.” She laughed, delighting in Karla’s worried expression. 

“What are they saying?” She asked. “Why do they all stare at me?” She bit her lip.

Selle laughed again. “Everyone of the Dothraki has black or brown hair.” She smiled. “They have never seen blonde.”

Karla suddenly understood, relaxing herself. They weren’t going to hurt her then. The Khal turned to her, thinking for a moment before he turned to Selle, asking her something in dothraki. 

“The Khal asks if he may let the children touch your hair.” Selle translated.

Karla’s eyes lit up, in her home country blonde hair had always been looked down upon, she’s always been teased for her birth given curse, but to the dothraki it was special. She turned to the Khal nodding quietly, if they were interested she would let them. She only hoped they would be gentle. 

The Khal gently lifted a section of her hair, rubbing his own hand over it before holding it out for the children. The Khal spoke again, this time sternly. The children, were kind, they did not pull on her hair. The Khal began to talk to the children, it sounded like some sort of story.  
Selle laughed to herself, turning again to Karla. 

“What does the Khal say?” Karla asked her. 

Selle smiled, “He is telling the children about your hair.” She giggled, “I don’t know how to translate it actually, but, he says your hair was a gift from the sun.”

Karla blushed, She’d spent her life thinking anything but that. 

The Khal laughed coming to his feet again. He patted her head gently, smiling at her. He shooed the children off, telling them to go back to their play. Which they did giggling and running. Karla watched the Khal again as he repeated his earlier action, lifting his hand in front of her. She took his hand quickly, watching him as he smiled, leading her off again.

\---

It was later in the evening now, the sun was almost starting to set. The Khal had walked her around the whole camp, showing her different things. But, Karla had been more interested in the animals. The camp was surrounded with horses, she’d even tried to count them but she’d last count very quickly. Here and there she saw cattle, sheep even. They probably travelled with the dothraki, she thought. 

As they walked she recognised her tent, the Khal parted the leather flap for her and held it open until she passed through. Inside she found Selle waiting for her, she smiled beckoning her over. Karla turned back to look at the Khal but he gently let go of her hand, smiled at her and left the way he had come. She barely had time to say goodbye, well not that she could have anyway. 

“Come on, you need to get dressed.” Selle beckoned her again.  
“Dressed?” Karla asked finally coming over to her. She was dressed.  
“For dinner tonight? Did you forget?” Selle teased.  
“Oh.” Karla paused, she hadn't forgotten. Surely she hadn’t.  
“I picked out some dresses for you, they have a more western style but it could be cold tonight.” Selle said, picking through a small multi coloured pile.

Again, Karla was beckoned over. Selle held out three different dresses and Karla picked out a soft pink, loose dress. After that she was bathed and her hair brushed, left loose. 

Selle made her sit and wait in front of the entrance to the tent, she wouldn’t wait long she’d said. However, as the seconds ticked by Karla could feel her tiredness creeping up on her, her growling stomach didn’t help one bit. She was just about to crawl under her furs when the tent’s flap was pushed aside.


	5. Chapter 5 - Dinner, cuddles and other warm things

The tent’s flap flew to the side and there, The Khal stood. His hair was plaited differently, prettier. He walked to stand in front of her. He offered her his hand, to where she sat on her furs. Karla reached out, allowing the Khal to pull her to her feet. Her earlier dizziness during the day had disappeared, almost completely. The Khal smiled at her, his smile was so warm she wondered if the Khal showed this smile to others. Some dark small part of her hoped he didn’t. The Khal reached out gently, rubbing the silk of her sleeve in his fingers. Karla watched him, her cheeks red. He made a firm quick nod and began to lead her outside. Karla couldn’t help but wonder what his nod meant. Did he approve of her dress? She definitely did, it was truly the most beautiful thing she’d ever worn. The simple soft pink silk had been an easy choice, if not a little revealing. The fabric coming over her shoulders and into a belt at her waist. The cool night air was wonderful and not too cold. Looking at the Khal as he walked, she wondered if he got cold, wearing only his leather skirt. She watched him now as he looked away from her. She admired his back, deciding that with his muscles, the cold wouldn’t bother him. She felt guilty somehow looking at him, but he wasn’t looking at her and well, she was only looking. The Khal was beautiful, but maybe that wasn’t the right word for what he was. He was savage, with that scar crossing his eyebrow and his towering height, he could probably kill her with a look. But.. He was beautiful the way a lion was, able to eat you for supper but with the evening sun shining through his hair.. And his gentle smile.. Her cheeks went bright red. Not at all like a lion then. She heard someone laugh and instantly her cheeks turned a new, brighter shade of red. She wanted desperately to hide her face but the Khal held her hand. Suddenly he pulled aside the tent flap and Karla’s eyes grew wide. The Khal chuckled again, and Karla suddenly realised that it was him that had laughed before! He must have been watching her from the corner on his eye. Now she was desperate to hide under her furs and never see the light of day again. But before she could make any rash decisions, The Khal pulled her along gently. She couldn’t believe how many people were inside this one tent alone, it had looked so small from the outside but there were so many people, all feasting, seated beside one another on floor cushions. Many of the people turned their heads to look at them, and Karla began to worry that everyone would want to touch her hair as they had this morning. But they turned back around just as quickly, she realised they must have just looked to see their Khal enter. The Khal continued to lead her, before long he stopped in front of a wonderfully carved wooden table, it was so short it only came up to her knees. But she could tell already they wouldn’t be sitting on chairs. Still holding onto her hand the Khal sat down crossed legged, but instead of letting go of her hand like she had expected him to, he pulled her right down and into his lap. If Karla’s cheeks had been red before, they didn’t compare to this. She went still, what was she supposed to do? She wasn’t completely against sitting like this… but! In his lap! She didn’t squirm or wriggle, she just sat still. She turned her gaze to the floor, it was kind of nice. Gently the Khal wrapped his arms around her middle, almost cuddling her to him and making her lean her back into him. Suddenly Karla could feel his hot breath on her cheek. He’d caught her off guard, his head was right next to her face and he was staring right at her. He lifted his eyebrows and tilted his head, Karla paused and thought for a moment. Was he maybe asking if this was okay? The Khal could tell his expression was confusing her, he squinted his eyes and thought for a moment. 

“No?” He asked softly in her language. 

Karla was so shocked to hear him speak her language, that she hardly remembered to respond. 

“Yes.” She said in poor dothraki. But she tried her best to remember what Selle had taught her that afternoon. Basic phrases, that might come in handy she’d said. 

The Khal grinned, he looked almost as surprised as she had by her answer. He patted her head gently and leaned back again, but not before giving her a tight squeeze. It took Karla a second but she quickly realised that she too was smiling, she felt happy but more.. Excited. Her heart racing. The Khal took a carved wooden bowl from the table and handed it to Karla, pointing at the food. He said something in dothraki but she couldn’t understand. But her stomach caught on immediately. ‘Eat’ he had told her, and Karla very gladly filled her bowl with things that looked tasty. 

The Khal spoke absently to another man beside him, still holding Karla in his lap. It was a relief to not be the centre of attention again, to have everyone interested in something else was nice. It meant she could relax, and eat. Most importantly eat. Having being promised dinner with the Khal earlier this morning, well… this wasn’t at all what she had expected. The food she’d been given earlier, thanks to Selle, she’d learned had been a more traditional dothraki meal, spiced horse meat and other things Karla had never heard of before. The horse meat had been very strange and too tough, but it had been the spices that had bothered her the most, Selle had promised that they hadn't even been hot in the slightest, but Karla had probably never even eaten anything hot in her life before. 

Before her lay a much more familiar layout of foods. Eggs, chicken, carrots. She had no trouble filling her bowl and then her stomach. Karla had never been able to eat this much before and even to eat so well! Everything was tasty, there were even sweetmeats, things Karla had only ever known for royalty. But her favourites where the fresh fruits. Chopped cubes of apples and oranges. She’d never released how fantastic it was to bite into something soft but crunchy and sweet. Least to say, Karla was having the time of her life, not the least bit worried. 

After she’d finished stuffing herself with everything yummy, she carefully leaned back against the Khal, she was starting to get a little tired. The tent had been louder before, now the voices were softer and many of the people had probably gone to bed. Her eyelids were getting heavier by the second and Karla knew she should be getting to bed too. She turned her head to side, resting it against the Khal shoulder. For a man built like a brick wall he was surprisingly comfy to rest against. The Khals voice was really the only thing she could focus on, but soon that too became hard. Not too long after she felt something warm cover her, she opened her eyes briefly to see herself wrapped in a warm fur blanket. She ran her fingers along the side, enjoying the soft touch of it, drifting closer and closer to sleep. 

Karla woke slowly, the soft morning sun rays waking her from her sleep. She was curled up on her side. Her arm wrapped loosely around a pillow, which she pulled closer to herself. Softly, she heard a quiet chuckle. Slowly she opened her sleepy eyes, only to discover what she had been holding and nestled warm against, was not a pillow. But instead the Khal himself.


	6. Chapter 6 - She came from dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a short chapter! but i think you'll enjoy it c:

The Khal,  
\----------------------

She had looked so tired after the walk, her eyes closing for brief moments. He had worried if she would even make it through dinner, but he chuckled as he remembered. How she had filled her bowl, and eaten and eaten. He really should have had offered her lunch instead, but after a successful raid the cooks, he knew would make a delicious feast. Which had meant that there were many different things for her to choose from, he had observed her choices, what she ate and what she left untouched. Eggs, she ate mostly but she seemed to enjoy rice, vegetables seemed to be a favourite, but that could have also been for the fact they had been fried in sweet sugar. He grinned, gently pushing back a misplaced hair on her little forehead. She slept so soundly beside him, hadn't even so much as stirred when he’d carried her to bed. He grinned again, so filled with smiles today. She’d fallen asleep in his lap, all tucked up in furs. Cute as a little babe. He lay back on his back, closing his eyes. It was now mid morning and still she had not wakened, how she’d leaned back into him last night, he figured she’d sleep until mid day too if he let her. After a while The Khal decided it was time to get up finally, he called for breakfast to be brought to his tent and a new dress for the girl. She still slept in her dress from last night, the silk so gentle against the skin of his chest. The pink of her dress made her skin looked flushed and bright with colour, like a spring afternoon. He couldn’t help but let his mind drift as he dressed, where had she come from? The angel that slept so soundly, he could imagine her in a field of flowers, lying in tall grass. She looked like she’d walked right out of a summer painting, like one he’d seen on a raid. A beautiful white mare at her side, the white matching her own hair. He grinned again with the image he had created in his mind, drifting back to his bedside to again look upon that little sleeping face. He sat down on the bed again, so utterly unable to leave her. She had enthralled him the moment he had set his eyes on her. He remembered the lake, her hair and the glow of it. Her cries had called him to her but it was that setting sun bouncing off her golden hair that had pulled him into the lake. Soaked through and ice cold, Drogo had never laid eyes on anything or anyone more beautiful than her. But as he softly settled into the bed again, she began stirring and reaching for him, to pull him close into her. He chuckled softly allowing this ray of sunlight half his weight, to pull him close and into her arms. Quietly he watched as those sea blue eyes opened, and saw who lay before her.


	7. Chapter 7 - Good morning c:

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's finally up.... I have crawled out of hell and i give you this chapter after far too long

It took Karla a moment to fully realize, tucked up and so warm she was hardly awake. But the man before her.. She woke up very quickly. Drogo rolled away a little, to give her space as she sat up in shock. Her eyes wide she could only stare at him, what could she say anyway? Drogo too sat up, albit a lot calmer than Karla had and moved to sit on the corner of the fur bed. Karla relaxed somewhat, she was still dressed in the pink silky dress she’d chosen the night before but she certainly didn’t remember this, she only remembered.. She must have fallen asleep in his lap she realized. His face was unreadable, like the brickwall she knew so well, but so unlike that soft expressen she’d been becoming so used to. They sat in silence for a moment, Karla opened her mouth at one point but quickly closed it. All that could be heard was their breathing and Karla, strangely thought to herself that she quite liked the way he breathed, she enjoyed the way you could see his back move as he exhaled. Soon Karla could no longer bare this heavy silence that lay like blanket over them, she pushed back the furs and began to wriggle out of the bed but the Khal quickly sprang back to life his face different. Karla was just out of the bed when the Khal called to her, he didn’t know her name and Karla only knew his through Selle. Instead he spoke in Dothraki, patting the spot on the bed beside him. Karla didn’t know why she stayed, why she turned and walked around the bed to stand beside him not quite yet sitting down. Maybe it was because he was not a threat to her, she thought to herself. He’d been kind and gentle in his ways but for all the weapons and fearsome warriors she’d seen, the Khal had not done anything to frighten her or cause her any worry. But it was also she thought to herself more quietly that she enjoyed his advances, enjoyed his reassuring hand on her shoulder and.. Sitting in his lap last night. But, she decided, it was the silver plate he held in his lap now that keep her there. Eggs and rice with fruits, freshly cut. She’d spelt so long.. Her tummy was beginning to call to her. The Khal grinned, knowing just how rightly he’d guessed. 

They sat like that for awhile, Karla munching away and the Khal.. thinking. He was still quiet, but Karla knew he couldn’t really speak to her. However he just seemed.. Duller? Like a light gone out with no one home. The silence also bothered her because it reminded her of the strangeness of their relationship, could she even call it that? She popped a hard boiled egg into her mouth, thinking about this. A lot had happened, everything in Karla’s life had changed but really? She wasn’t too against it. She’d been saved from that river and brought to live seemingly amongst the dothraki, she slept warmer and in the nicest bed she’d only ever dreamed of, she ate wonderfully and plenty. She’d only been hungry just now because she’d been able to sleep so long, something that had been allowed to her before. Quickly she’d finished everything on her plate and only silence sat between them. He wasn’t looking at her, and so she watched him wondering what he seemed so deep in thought about. He still had that brickwall like expression and Karla longed for that bright smile she’d seen just the night before.. and.. maybe that wicked laughter too. So bright and full of fire, it was nothing compared to this silence and dullness. Maybe it was because he wasn’t looking at her that Karla had that sudden thought to touch him. Just briefly, softly on his arm remind him that she was there. But as she looked closer at his arm she saw again the hard muscles there, her eyes began to drift further. Some blue pigment was painted down his chest, traveling over even tougher looking muscles. She began to wonder that if she touched them whether they would feel like stone.

Slowly, the Khal turned his attention back to her. His eyes had changed a little, not brighter but more alert than before. Those dark ebony eyes looked from Karla, to downwards. Right where he noticed her. Karla’s fingertips where pressed gently against those, very rock hard muscles that she’d been eyeing so longingly. She hadn’t even noticed what she’d been doing, the silence had lulled her deep into her mind and! Their eyes meet and for a moment the Khal’s eyes flashed with light and Karla couldn't believe herself as the Khal began to roar with that awful wicked laughter that Karla had so wanted to hear before. She couldn’t help the smile that crawled onto her face, nor the laughter that too rose in her throat. Soon the laughter soften and the Khal was left in soft chuckles but he turned to her, with that bright lion like smile and stood up. Karla made to also get up but he stopped her just before she could slide away again, he held gently by her shoulders for a moment. If she pushed just a little she could get out of his hold but she held no desire to do anything of the sort. He held the moment longer, looking into her eyes. It was long enough that Karla thought he might do something but.. He let go, stepping back but not before giving her head a pat. He smiled again, the corner of his mouth tipped upwards grinning. He said something softly in dothraki, and looked at her again with what Karla might even had said was longing. Maybe just to crawl back into his warm bed but.. Something small inside her said otherwise. He left quickly after that, leaving Karla alone in the tent.

It was sometime later that Karla had finally pulled herself fully out of bed and into a new dress, the Khal she’d noticed had left new dresses out for her. She always thought it would be a hard choice picking a dress if you had so many but the dresses were all of a very similar style, only really the colour was different. She easily choose a soft lemon yellow and began to brush her hair. One of the things that had really surprised her was the length of the Khal’s hair, she’d heard rumors of a Khal so great, that had never once lost a battle, earning the full length of his hair. The Khal’s hair was like a black river, it went past his back and all the way down to his bottom. Karla could only ever dream of hair that long, her hair only going past her shoulder blades but it was also the colour that struck her, his hair looked shiny and almost glowed in the sunlight. She loved how he plaited his hair, the metal rings were stunning but she couldn’t help but wonder what it might look like loose, like a horses mane she decided, like the beautiful bay horse with matching black hair. It was a stunning stallion that Karla had only seen glimpses of, she held a small fear for the great beasts but not enough that she could not admire them, with their glitter coats and their speed. She put her hair brush down on the Khal’s great desk, wooden and craved by hand like horses racing to the other side she could wonder as to who had made this or where it had come from. 

Soon Karla longed for the sun and in her bare feet she meet it with a smile. There was little grass here where the dothraki had made their camp but the sand wasn’t too hot just yet. Karla loved to be only with her bare feet but the sand was a little tricky to walk on for too long. She walked along the tents for awhile wondering where her tent was or where she might find Selle, people stared at her sometimes but they didn’t come too close which Karla preferred. Without the Khal, Karla was unsure about the others and she really could only say two things now in dorthakrai, neither of which she could say very well. After awhile of wondering Karla finally found Selle, who had instead found her. Selle smiled racing over to Karla.

“There you are! I wasn’t sure where you were.” Selle sighed in relief. She sounded like she might have been in trouble if she hadn’t found her.

“Oh, I was just looking for you.” Karla replied 

“Good,” Selle finally said. “Because the Khal has a gift for you.”


	8. Chapter 8 - warm, safe and content

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Damn! i took forever writing this i know but!! Big depresso! anyway! I finally finished it! it's a little bit longer than normal! so i hope you enjoy it!!!

“A gift?” Karla mumbled, why would.. The Khal give her a gift?

The crowd parted quickly, Selle moved to stand beside her, and from the crowd appeared The Khal, a great white horse by his side. 

Karla gasped seeing the white beast before her, but surely this wasn’t the gift Selle spoke of? The Khal moved towards her but she couldn’t take her eyes off the horse. The Dorthakrai were a horse people, they lived and died on their horses and… to be given one.. By a Khal nonetheless… Had to mean something.

The Khal stopped before her and she could see now that the horse wasn’t as big as she’d first thought. The horse’s shoulder only just reached her head and that wasn’t saying much. 

The Khal grinned, clearly pleased with himself for how Karla could not possibly take her eyes off the great beast. The horse was a calmer one, a good listener he’d picked an easier beast for her. He’d seen the way she had looked at the horses, with fear. But also, admiration. 

Slowly Karla’s eyes moved to the Khal, he held out his palm for her and this time she knew what it meant. She didn’t hesitate putting her hand in his, as he guided her to the horses nose, forehead and then, shoulder. He turned to her suddenly with a question burning in his eyes, but just as fast as it had come, it vanished. He turned his head away and Karla followed, another horse was being lead towards them and for a split second Karla worried that the Khal had gotten her two horses, but she recognised the beast the moment she saw it’s brown coat reflect the sun. It was the Khal’s own horse, his most prized. The Khal turned back to her and placed his hands around her waist, he waited a moment but Karla didn’t struggle, so he lifted her up and onto the horse. 

Suddenly Karla was a lot higher than she’d been before, never had she been on a horse and already she could feel herself slipping. But the Khal held her in place easily, hands bracing her thighs. She clung to his shoulders, unaware of the action but the Khal caught it easily. In Dorthkrai he spoke and Selle translated.

“Are you afraid?” he said.

Karla attempted a smile but truly she was. “I will fall.” she told him

The Khal shook his head solemnly, “You have not ridden before?” 

This time Karla shook her head, no translation was necessary.

The Khal gave her a grim look, but he seemed to have guessed this already. “Tomorrow” he said, “I will teach you to ride, but today you will ride with me.” 

Karla looked a bit puzzled, ride with him? But.. Suddenly she realised what he meant, as the Khal lifted her up again.. And onto the back of his own horse. 

And then he swung himself over but before moving her to sit in front of him. He looped his fingers through the reins and slipped his arms to sit either side of her, holding her in place firmly. He called out to one of his men in Dorthari and Karla’s white mare was taken away, most likely to wait she thought, for tomorrow. Everything had happened so fast after the Khal had lifted her on top on his horse, she’d blinked and they were off. Racing past the tents and into the desert sand, at first the speed frightened her, her unbound hair sent flying into the wind but the Khal held her steady, she’d even found it easier to lean back against him. Around her she could hear his laughter as she clung to the saddle, finding knots and places to grip she bared her teeth to the wind and The Khal began to roar, his laughter singing around her. After a while, the steady rhythm of horse hoofs crashing in the sand was all she could hear. From never being on a horse before to now, racing through the desert on the Khal’s prized horse no doubt the fastest among the Dothraki, it was thrilling and yet not as scary as she’d thought. Maybe it was the Khal bracing her, holding her steady but she didn’t feel like she could fall off, even if she tried. Karla could only sit and watch as little scrubs passed, behind them heavy sand dunes the size of castles. It was almost sunset when the stallion finally began to slow, breaking the rhythm Karla had become so familiar with now it almost felt as if she and awoken from a dream to see the setting sun before her. It was a moment and then the Khal was off, his horse still moving and Karla still on. She looked down at him puzzled but he only checked to see if she could hold herself, before taking the reins and leading the horse along. Karla had no idea how to get off a horse, a moving one was something else entirely but.. She didn’t think he wanted her to get off as he had. She looped her fingers through the little holds in the saddle, he’d shown her through their ride that she could also hold onto the horse's hair but she wasn’t so sure about it, even now.

It wasn’t a long walk but Karla couldn't help but smile at the fact that she could see the top of his head, something she’d probably only seen twice now because of their vast difference in height. However, her smile quickly faced as she again remembered just how big The Khal’s horse was and how very far away the ground was. She’d watched him earlier she now realised, jump right up onto the back on his horse, no mount or any help from anybody. In all of Karla’s life she’d never seen anyone jump without assistance onto a horse, nor jump off a horse still moving, It was very impressively hot. 

Soon the Stallion came to a stop and there was The Khal again at her side lifting her up and into his arms but the moment he put her down, she fell right over with a mouth full of sand. Her legs were jelly beneath her and any attempt of hers to rise failed, with her knees buckling in their uselessness. It didn’t help that the Khal had taken one look at her and her jelly legs and laughed almost childishly. He said something in Dorthkrai with yet another laugh before he scooped her up, chuckling to himself. 

The Khal left his horse tied up nearby as he set Karla down gently but not before he had thrown off his horses blanket to give her something to sit on. They each worked in silence for a time, The Khal busy lighting a fire and Karla nursing her very sore legs. As she rubbed at her aching thighs the Khal would sometimes chuckle over his shoulder, he no doubt did not have sore legs Karla thought to herself, it probably had to do with her having never been on a horse before nevermind within 5 feet of one. 

With the fire steadily growing, The Khal came to sit beside her but they could only watch one another in silence as they both realised they had no translator, which may seem silly but Karla had only just realised herself that they had been communicating together over the course of their journey without spoken language the whole time. 

It was so quiet now, how strange it was to be so utterly alone, in a desert that was deserted. The loudest thing Karla could hear was the Khal’s own breathing. So quietly he moved, lifting his hand, gently he took a lock of her hair rubbing it between his fingers. He whispered something to her, and for a moment her hearts beating was even louder than his breaths, for an instant it felt vain to think that he might have said it was beautiful, the prettiest colour he’d seen, and for another instant... It felt wonderful. She felt more awake now than she had these last few days she’d been with the Dorthkrai, the strangeness had worn off into a quiet normalcy. She slowly at first, reached behind him to his hair and took the braid in her whole hand, sliding it over his shoulder. She watched as his lips tugged upwards into a small grin. She whispered to him, gently tugging at his plaits. “Take it out, I want to see your hair.” But Karla knew he would not understand, she only hoped he might let her do it herself. He eyed her in silence, thinking for a moment before he let her hair drop onto her shoulder and he swiftly began unplaiting his hair. Karla couldn’t hide her smile as the Khal began to do as she’d asked, she must have asked him properly. The Khal quickly took note of the pleasure on her face and grinned wider, releasing his hair from its long braid he gently presented her with it. He adored her smile, as bright as the sun raising he thought.

Karla gently dragged her fingers through it, like a black sea of silk. Nothing could compare to it. No other man in the Dothraki tribe had hair this long and as Selle had told her, it meant the Khal held a great power, that he had not been defeated in battle for so long. She turned her attention away from his hair and looked up at him under her heavy lashes, only to see him grinning ear to ear like an idiot. She burst into a giggling fit, the look on his face! It was too much for Karla. 

The Khal’s eyes lit up with glee and more importantly, mischief. It was a moment and he was on her, tickling her mercilessly. They fought and wrested in the sand, Karla roaring with her laughter begging sweet mercy but the Khal was ruthless. Soon Karla was so full of her laugher that she couldn’t breathe and thankfully the Khal was so kind to stop, and laugh too. But, as soon as she’d calmed down, she pounced. Tickling him with all she had, but the Khal only laughed louder! The bastard wasn’t ticklish at all! Karla tickled him everywhere but the only laughter that came from him was of Karla’s sad attempt. She pouted childishly but it was hard with a grin wider than the sea line. 

They both calmed down, until the roar of the little fire was all they hear. The Khal still smiling pulled Karla to him gently with a small tug. She came to sit in front of him, with a matching smile. They both watched the flames as they swirled and danced, but the Khal was not watching the flames, instead, he only had eyes for Karla. Gently Karla felt a warm hand press against her cheek and she turned to him batting her eyelashes with a lazy smile. She was starting to get tired, the full days ride was finally catching up to her. 

Softly the Khal whispered something to her before he pressed a featherlight kiss to her forehead, he must have realised how tired she was because briefly Karla felt his warm hand leave her face but it was quickly replaced with a softer warmer fur blanket that the Khal had tied to his saddle. He pulled the fur around her and nudged her to lay her head down beside him resting on his arm as a pillow. It wasn’t long before they had both settled. Karla was feeling braver but really it probably the sleep calling to her but she tugged at his free arm, pulling it to wrap around her and the Khal very happily obliged. Warm, Safe and content, it didn’t take long before Karla fell into a deep sleep, dreaming of someone.


	9. Chapter 9 - Rest, Riding and more rest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ITS DONE! fianlly i have finished this chapter.. now i crawl back into hell... i will return! for chapter 10!

When Karla woke in the morning the sun was soft. There was a strange large mass behind her, one that curled around her holding her so gently. It brought a smile to her lips, to have someone so close and so calm. She tried to move slowly, curling into him as he had with her. However she’d only settled for a moment when he stirred, his eyes opening to meet her. 

When the Khal opened his eyes, it was not the sun up in the sky he saw but the sun shining brightly in front of him. He’d picked a pet name for her, one that had come to him the first night he’d laid eyes on her. “My sun.” he whispered into the softness of her shoulder. “My heart.” He kissed her skin, warm like the sun he believed her to be, but it saddened him to know that Karla wriggling beside him, giggling from his tickles, could not understand the soft names he called her, or the sweet things he wished her to know. So he decided then and there that after he saw to her horse riding lessons he would learn her language, so she would know the things his heart wished for without the interruption of a translator. 

After the Khal’s merciless tickling had stopped, Karla gently closed her eyes, relaxing and nestling into his shoulder to listen to his soft words. For such a large man she’d heard him speak so fiercely before, but the softness in his words that he had shown her in the gentle, quiet moments when they were alone were surprising and a gift that she cherished. But in her heart she longed to know what those soft words meant, she wanted to know what he’d whispered to her last night, with only the moon as witness. She wanted desperately to understand what he told her now, to know the reason his voice was so gentle. She decided she would ask Selle to teach her Dorthakrai when they returned, she wanted desperately to tell him that his hair had shone in the moonlight, like it had been made from it, but more importantly she wanted to tell him about how her heart pounded for him, how it longed for his embrace. 

The Khal rose some time later to pack up his bag and ready his horse, leaving Karla to lie down for a moment longer. However the absence of him was too much to bare so Karla tried to rise with him. Only to find that her legs did not work. In fact they felt worse than last night when she had gotten off the horse. The Khal turned back to her, hearing her struggle, but after he figured out what was going on he burst into laughter. Karla could only wail in her great suffering as she made her way towards him, crawling on her knees. It was both uncomfortable and just a little painful but she was going to wipe that smirk right off his face, one way or another. When she finally reached him, his back was turned to her, still packing his saddle bag, but it was clear he was watching her out of the corner of his eye with an even wider smirk, but before she could do anything, The Khal reached down scooped her up and onto the horse. Karla understandably was livid, she’d had this big plan to get him back but now, with her plans foiled.. She clung to him, refusing to let go, digging her fingers into his back. 

At first the Khal was confused, believing himself to have had the upper hand over Karla’s mischievous planning, but as he tried to pull her from him, she just wouldn’t come off. His brow furrowed deeper as she still refused to let go, finally he understood. This must be her pay back. He chuckled as Karla began to giggle from behind him, yes he thought, she was clinging to him now because of how he’d laughed at her. He tisked, a mischievous plan of his own was beginning to form, little did Karla know.   
It was just as she was about to let go and end this silly game of hers that something attacked her. The Khal was tickling her again, more merciless than the last time. This war of theirs didn’t last long, considering that Karla was giggling to much that she started to choke, which afterwards only made her laugh harder. 

As they returned to camp, having seen them in the distance the Dothraki riders came out to escort them both back to the tents. The sun was still raising into the sky, not even close to it’s summit; the hottest time of day. Karla had found this fact out very quickly. The sun out in the dessert was nothing compared to soft heat she’d become accustomed too in her homeland, it was brutal and merciless, much like her Khal she thought with a smug grin remembering his ruthless tickling. She could hear them talking around her, the khal seemed to be instructing one of the riders but it wasn’t like Karla could make heads or tails of what, they spoke of, their tones and volumes the only indication she had. All at once they were back, the familiar tents swaying in the breeze and the familiar sounds of the people that she had grown so fond of. The khal was off first and then he was helping her down, and she was glad for it, not believing that she had the strength to do it herself. Her thighs were aching beyond belief and the moment she was standing she had to cling to him for support, her knees, the traitors had given in. 

The Khal laughed softly as he watched as Karla clung to him, so desperate to stand. He scooped her up quickly without a thought, they had returned back earlier then he thought but catching up on his work wouldn’t hurt and it was clear Karla needed to rest in an actual bed. He sighed heavily, her fatigue would take a few days to pass and he was feeling very tired himself, he’d actually caught every little sleep in the night. Sleep had always come so easily to him in the dessert, it was his home after all but last night he’d woken constantly, only to be meet with Karla sleeping so soundly throughout the night. 

He placed her gently onto the bed, moving the furs out of her way, and she was settled he whispered to her softly that he would have food sent in for her, he knew that she wouldn't understand but seeing her soft face and her already pulling the furs tighter around herself he figured that she would find out soon enough what he’d meant. However, the moment he moved to leave Karla sat up, she looked so confused but realization quickly set in, it made him sad to see her tuck herself back in but he whispered again to her that he would return soon and lie with her again in the night. But as he stood beside her, as she closed her eyes he knew again that she didn’t understand and it.. Ached to know but he couldn't just not say it, he sighed again looking down at her resting face, he leaned down slowly and paused for a moment, he realized because he wanted to stay like this beside her, but he leaned down further and pressed a kiss to her forehead finding a mirrored smile on her face.


End file.
